Schedule for Cedar Grove School Repair Project Unveiled

Architect Robert Donahue presented the board and public with schematics, renderings and a time line of the upcoming district-wide school repair project Tuesday night.

The project, which includes replacing the roof at the Leonard R. Parks school building, as well as windows, doors, and heating ventilation and air conditioning repairs to every public school building in the district but Memorial Middle School, are part of a $7.6 million bond referendum approved by voters last April.

The repairs are intended to bring buildings up to current standards, increase energy efficiency and improve the overall appearance of buildings in the district. The project has been divided into two phases; Cedar Grove High School in one phase, and Leonard R. Parks school building, South and North End Elementary Schools in another.

The timing of the work, set to begin in all four buildings on June 20, Donahue said, was deliberately planned to avoid disrupting class schedules.

Donohue said he met with township officials and building principals over the past few weeks to plan the work around activities and inform building staff to prepare classrooms for the work, even changing the start date to accommodate the township's summer recreation programs.

Some of the energy efficiency improvements detailed by Donahue include the adding of energy-sipping LED lighting, adding glass panels along the top sides of buildings to allow more natural light to get through, and installing occupancy censors in classrooms, which automatically power off the lights when a room is detected empty.

The project is currently out for public bids. The board said it would like to award the bid to the contractor who will complete the project at the Feb. 28 meeting.

The bulk of the repairs are to be completed over the summer, but the project at Cedar Grove High School, the longest and most expensive phase, which includes some significant repairs to the auxiliary gym, auditorium and boiler room, are expected to last until late November. Donahue said repairs in the final phase of the high school project will be completed during night and weekend hours.

The project schedule as detailed by Donahue is as follows:

Roof project- Leonard R. Parks school building/Board of Education Offices:

Phase I: June 20-July 3

Phase II: July 9-July 13

Phase II: July 16-Aug. 3

North End School:

Phase I: June 20-July 18

Phase II: July 11-Aug. 3

Phase III: Aug. 6-Aug. 27

South End School:

Phase I: June 20-July 2

Phase II: July 6-Aug. 3

Phase III: Aug. 6-Sept. 5

Cedar Grove High School:

Phase I: June 20-July 25

Phase II: July 26-Sept. 4

Phase III: Sept. 4-Nov. 30 (Work to be completed on nights and weekends)

The total cost of the repairs will be just over $12 million. Voters approved $7.6 million for the project to be raised by taxes, with the remaining $4 million coming from state grants.

The bond will result in a school tax increase of $114 per household assessed at the township average of $485,000, but school officials say the figure will drop once energy savings from the improvements are realized, and that the tax impact will not be felt for 2-3 years.